Evaluating Specialty Utilization After Interhospital Transfer from a Rural Hospital to Regional Medical Center

Objectives: To evaluate specialty utilization and intervention in inter-facility transfers from a rural hospital to regional medical center.

Study Design: Retrospective case study.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all inter-facility transfers from a rural hospital to a regional medical center. Information on the number and type of specialist consulted as well as the presence and type of intervention were recorded during chart review. Cases were excluded if transfer was an obstetric patient, pediatric patient, accepted by surgical team as primary, stayed in ICU longer than 24 hours, or had an invalid MRN.

Results: Between the 3-month period of October 2020 to December 2020 two hundred and six transfers were sent from a rural hospital to regional medical center. Of those, one hundred and twenty-nine were eligible for this study. Fifty-seven (44%) transfers required multi-specialty involvement. Sixty transfers (47%) required only one specialist involvement with thirty-seven (62%) resulting in specialty procedural intervention. Intervention was defined as a procedure performed by consulting specialist with or without medical and/or imaging recommendation. Twelve transfers (9%) did not require any specialty consult or intervention.

Conclusions: Over half of transfers (73%, N= 94) made in the 3-month period between October 2020 and December 2020 resulted in either multispecialty involvement or single specialty consult with procedural intervention indicating appropriate and efficient utilization of regionalized healthcare.